Liquid proportioner



Feb. 24, 1953 J. J. DUGGAN 2,629,448

LIQUID PROPORTIONER Filed Dec. 20, 1950 57 '---vr2 Z3 55 3 f8 Fm \fiL 5655 57 I ------1 59 2 19 i n +21 2 h f d/2 1 1 52 IL 15 21 40 Q a I,INVENTOR 12 v I J AMES J.DUGGAN Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE LIQUID PRlOPORTIONER James Joseph Duggan, Charleston, W.Va., assignor to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation ofNew York Application December 20, 1950, Serial No. 201,354

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to liquid proportioners, and more particularly todevices of this character for introducing an additive liquid to anotherliquid to be benefited thereby.

Objects of the invention are to proportion one or more liquids toanother through fixed orifices to each of which a variable closure isattached and is controlled mechanically by the actual flow of thelargest volume, regardless of pressure, temperature, or othercharacteristics for the purpose of mixing, blending, or compounding suchliquids into one solution or compound of desired concentration.

According to the present invention, the flow of an additive liquid isproportioned to the flow of a control liquid by a nozzle to which thecontrol liquid is supplied at predetermined hydraulic pressure, asmaller nozzle to which the additive liquid is supplied at apredetermined hydraulic pressure, a movable closure for said controlliquid nozzle pivoted on an axis eccentric to its nozzle, means forexerting an opposing mechanical pressure on said closure whereby thesame swings about its axis away from said nozzle in response todifferential pressure, a discharge conduit for the mixed liquids havinga control valve for determining the rate of flow through said dischargeconduit, whereby said closure swings through an angle proportional tosaid rate of flow, and a closure for said additive liquid nozzle rigidlyconnected to said control liquid nozzle closure and pivoted about thesame axis, whereby said additive liquid nozzle closure swings throughthe same angle proportional to said rate of flow through said mixedliquid discharge conduit.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a vertical section through a liquid proportioner according tothe preferred embodiment of the present invention, as taken along theline ll of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the piping for liquid supply and discharge.

The liquid proportioner comprises ace-sing ill having a flat end Wall l2provided with a nozzle 64 to which the control liquid is supplied by apipe at a predetermined hydraulic pressure which may be controlled ordetermined by a pressure regulator or valve [6. The wall I2 is alsoprovided with smaller nozzles l8, l9 and 2! to which additive liquidsare supplied by respective pipes 2!, 22 and 23 at predeterminedhydraulic pressures respectively controlled or predetermined by pressureregulators or valves 24, 25 and 26. Y

Pivoted in the casing in on an axis eccentric to the central nozzle M isa movable member 30. An area of the surface of the member 39 opposite toand cooperating with the nozzle Hi forms a movable closure 3| therefor.Smaller areas of the surface of the member 35} opposite to andcooperating with the smaller nozzles l3, l9 and 29 form respectivemovable closures 32, 33 and 34 therefor. Thus the closures for thesmaller nozzles l8, l9 and 29 are rigidly connected to the closure forthe control nozzle it, and are also pivoted about the same axis.

The member 30 is keyed on a shaft 35 journaled in the casing It, andextends out through a stuifing box 36, or may be contained within thecasing Ill if no external weight 38 or lever arm 31 is required. Keyedon the projecting end of the shaft 35 is a lever arm 3! on which asliding weight 38 is mounted, and secured in adjusted positions bye. setscrew 39.

The casing ID has a discharge conduit to leading to a valve 4| on thedownstream side of the casing H], for determining the volume of flow ofmixed liquid leaving the casing Iii.

In operation, control liquid is supplied to the control nozzle I iv at apredetermined hydraulic pressure, and additive liquid is supplied to oneor more of the nozzles l8, l9 and 28 at predetermined hydraulicprcssure,- preferably the same pressure for all. When the dischargevalve is opened, the hydraulic pressure in pipe i5 is exerted on theclosure 3| but is opposed by the mechanical pressure determined by theweight 38, or weight of the movable member 39. The differential pressureswings the member 30 about its pivot 35 through an angle proportional tothe rate of flow through the discharge conduit til. This swinging of themember 38 swings the closures 32, 33 and 34 through the same angleproportional to the rate of flow through the discharge conduit 40.

The closure 3| for the control liquid nozzle M constitutes a regulatingor positioning valve, and inasmuch as the discharge valve 4| controlsthe flow of liquid on the downstream side, position of the member 30restrictsthe orifice and permits the actual flow through the dischargeconduit 4.9 in gallons per minute to be calculated, calibrated andindicated. This restriction further enables a desired pressure dropacross the regulating or positioning valve 3|. By adding or reducingweight, or adjusting the position of the sliding weight 38 on the leverarm 31, the pressure drop can be increased and decreased as desired.

The closures 32, 33 and 34 for the nozzles l8, l3 and 20 constituteproportioning valves having fixed orifices sized in proportion to thedesired fiow. For example, the diameter of the fixed orifices in nozzlesl8, l9 and 20 are one-tenth of the diameter of that of nozzle I4, whichin full open position of unrestricted orifice for nozzles l4 and I8,permits the flow of the solution to be proportioned into the supplystream through nozzle [4 at a ratio of 1 to 99, or one percent of thetotal main supply volume. The direct connection between the closure 32and 3| causes reduced fiows to be introduced in proportion to the flowthrough nozzle l4 because the member 30 positions the closure 32 indirect proportion to the fiow through nozzle l4. Thus when a one percentsolution is desired in the main stream through nozzle I4, one of thenozzles having an area of bf the central nozzle I4 could be used, theothers being closed by the manual valve 24, 25 or 26. Obvious adjustmentwill produce two percent or three percent solutions as desired.

It is also true that this device, by proper sizing of the orifices 32,33 and 34, can proportion. one or more liquids into the main stream inindividual or combined amounts in any proportion desired. For example,for certain chemical solutions one orifice such as 32 is used for onepercent, and two orifices 32 and 34 for two percent, leaving the centerorifice for liquid foam solutions which are used in either three or sixpercent.

The liquid proportioner herein described, can be used in connection withany standard equipment such as water supplies taken from hydrants or anypressurized source such as booster pumps on fire trucks or booster pumpson water supply, and can be installed between two lengths of standardfire hose or directly connected to fire hydrants or booster pumpoutlets. It is accurate when the throttling or control of the fiow is onthe outlet or downstream side of the proportioner. It can also beinstalled in any permanently piped system, the size being determined bythe flow requirements.

Advantages of the invention are that the proportioner has substantiallyonly one moving part,

is self-cleaning where water supplies are contaminated with solids, isentirely reliable for automatic and instantaneous use and will functionwith efficiency when properly sized and the flow controlled at any pointbeyond the outlet of the proportioner.

I claim:

1. A device for proportioning the hydraulic flow of an additive liquidto the hydraulicfiow ofa control liquid, which comprises a controlliquid nozzle, means for supplying the control liquid to said controlliquid nozzle at a predetermined hydraulic pressure, a smaller additiveliquid nozzle means for supplying the additive liquid to said smalleradditive liquid nozzle at a predetermined hydraulic pressure, a movableclosure for said control liquid nozzle pivoted on an axis eccentric toits nozzle, mean for exerting anopposing mechanical pressure on saidclosure whereby the same swings about its axis away from said nozzle inresponse to differential pressure, a discharge conduit for the mixedliquids having a control valve for determining the rate of hydraulicflow through said discharge conduit, whereby said closure swings throughan angle proportional to said rate of hydraulic flow, and a closure forsaid additive liquid nozzle rigidly connected to said control liquidnozzle closure and pivoted about the same axis, whereby said additiveliquid nozzle closure swings through the same angle proportional to saidrate of hydraulic flow through said mixed liquid discharge conduit.

2. Device as claimed in claim 1, in combination with a second additiveliquid nozzle, means for supplying additive liquid to said secondadditive liquid nozzle at a predetermined hydraulic pressure, and aclosure is provided for said second additive liquid nozzle also rigidlyconnected to said control liquid nozzle closure and pivoted about thesame axis, whereby said second additive liquid nozzle closure swingsthrough the same angle proportional to said rate of hydraulic flowthrough said mixed liquid discharge conduit. I

3. Device as claimed in claim 1, in which a casing is provided having awall, all of said nozzles are mounted in said wall, and all of saidnozzle closures are carried by a unitary member keyed on a shaftjournaled in said casing coaxial with said pivotal axis.

4. In a fire-fighting system, a device for proportioning the hydraulicflow of a chemical solu tion to the hydraulic flow of a control streamof water, which comprises a water nozzle, means for supplying thecontrol stream of water to said water nozzle at a predeterminedhydraulic pressure, a smaller chemical solution nozzle, means forsupplying the chemical solution to said smaller nozzle at apredetermined hydraulic pressure, a movable closure for said controlstream water nozzle pivoted on an axis eccentric to its nozzle, meansfor exerting an opposing mechanical pressure on said closure whereby thesame swings about its axis away from said nozzle in response to thedifferential between said mechanical and hydraulic pressures, adischarge conduit for the mixed chemical solution and water having ahydraulic control valve for determining the rate of hydraulic flowthrough said discharge conduit, whereby said closure swings through anangle proportional to said rate of hydraulic flow, and a closure forsaid smaller chemical solution nozzle rigidly connected to said controlstream water nozzle closure and pivoted about the same axis, whereby thesmaller chemical solution nozzle closure swings through the same angleproportional to said rate of hydraulic fioW through said mixed chemicalsolution and water discharge conduit. n

JAMES JOSEPH DUGG AN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,063,030 Heidelmann May 27, 19131,223,109 Reichenbach Apr. 17, 1917 1,773,290 Waite Aug. 19, 19302,084,489 Hess June 22, 1937

